For the last 45 years, Jeff Twiss has been a staple at Celtics games.<\/p>\n
The Celtics Vice President of Basketball Relations \u2014 who began his career as an intern primarily tasked with driving then-head coach Red Auerbach and worked his way up to becoming the Celtics\u2019 lead public relations person \u2014 has only missed 11 home games in 45 seasons.<\/p>\n
On Friday, September 5th, Twiss will receive one of the highest honors from the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame: the John W. Bunn Lifetime Achievement Award, an honor bestowed upon an international or national figure who has contributed greatly to the game of basketball.<\/p>\n
Outside of enshrinement, it is the most prestigious award presented by the Hall of Fame \u2014 and has historically gone to decorated coaches, former players, and other trailblazers.<\/p>\n
Twiss learned he was selected for the honor last February, after he received a call from the President of the Hall of Fame, John Doleva. Immediately, he assumed that the call signalled bad news. Perhaps, one of the Celtics\u2019 championship trophies currently on display in Springfield was stolen or damaged \u2014 or worse.<\/p>\n
So, when Doleva called, Twiss tensed up.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe goes, \u2018How are you doing?\u2019\u201d Twiss said. \u201cI said, \u2018Good, is there anything the matter?\u2018 He goes, \u2018Oh, no. Are you sitting down?\u2019<\/p>\n
\u2018Then I said, \u2018Oh, something is the matter. I figured sitting down meant \u2018Oh no.\u2019 I expected the worst. And he said, \u2018No, no. I want to announce the Bunn Award winner, and that\u2019s you.\u2019 And I kind of went, \u2018Are you sure you got the right guy?\u2019\u201c<\/p>\n
Doleva did have the right guy. Twiss, who has spent 45 years with the Celtics, was used to being the one to facilitate other people\u2019s awards, not his own. But after decades, it was time for his recognition.<\/p>\n
Twiss grew up in Vermont and first planned on becoming a gym teacher. But, the Celtics were always in the back of his mind.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was always impressed and fascinated,\u201d Twiss recalled. \u201cHow come the Celtics kept winning? How they do it year after year after year, and had some guy on the bench who smoked a cigar when they got it close to a victory. How did they do that? It was just fascinating to me, the whole culture of the Celtics back then.\u201d<\/p>\n
Eventually, Twiss got an internship working with the team.<\/p>\n
\u201cOne of my duties was to drive Coach Auerbach around because Red and \u2014 God rest his soul \u2014 was a notoriously NASCAR Formula One driver,\u201d Twiss said. \u201cHe had no rules, no holds barred, 100 miles an hour, straight through. If you\u2019re in a way, get out of the way. That was him driving.\u201d<\/p>\n
Twiss loved the opportunity to be around the team, and so he worked toward getting a full-time job offer. Eventually, Auerbach offered him one: $10,500, two season tickets, and a company car.<\/p>\n
\u201cI stood up, shook his hand, walked out of the room, said, \u2018Thank you very much,\u2019 Twiss said. \u2018And [he was like] \u2018Now, go get to work. Get out of here.\u2019 That was it. That\u2019s how I got hired.\u201d<\/p>\n
Inside 45 years with the Celtics<\/p>\n
Twiss has been a part of four Celtics championships: 1984, 1986, 2008, and 2024. But, even in the years were the team struggled, he observed that the special Garden atmosphere didn\u2019t waver.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe energy was still there,\u201d Twiss said. \u201cAnd I compliment the fans because \u2014 I\u2019ll para quote Larry Bird on this. He says, \u2018You can\u2019t fool Boston Celtics fans. They know when you\u2019re giving a good effort or when you\u2019re dogging it, and you aren\u2019t playing your best. As long as you give it a good effort, they\u2019ll appreciate that. Win or lose.\u201d<\/p>\n
Today, Twiss manages the Celtics\u2019 relationship with former players. He regularly sends out a newsletter with updates on what alumni are up to.<\/p>\n
Last October, when the Celtics raised Banner 18, Twiss escorted a 96-year-old Bob Cousy onto the TD Garden parquet.<\/p>\n
\u201cSomeone asked me, \u2018You mind doing it? I said, \u2018Mind doing it? I\u2019ll pay to do it. Tell me when and where, I\u2019m there. For Bob, I\u2019d do anything.\u201d<\/p>\n
Twiss chuckled, recalling the special moment: \u201cWhen I was starting to escort him out, he turned around and he goes, \u2018Don\u2019t mess this up.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
Today, Twiss is working on a book in which he\u2019ll chronicle his decades with the organization.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo one\u2019s really written from the perspective of being a front office employee, having the opportunity \u2014 not to boast or brag \u2014 for 20-some odd years, to drive Red Auerbach around to various engagements or preseason games,\u201d Twiss said.<\/p>\n
\u201cAfter some of the stories you\u2019re going to read, Noa, people are going to come after me and put on a straitjacket,\u201d Twiss said. They aren\u2019t going to believe me that this happened back in the era that it did, but it\u2019ll be fun when it\u2019s out there.\u201d<\/p>\n
In an in-depth interview on the You Got Boston podcast, Twiss discussed the highs and lows of a 45-year career, how the media landscape has changed, and more. You can watch the full podcast here<\/a>. <\/p>\n